Differentiation of Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati in fecal samples from household and shelter dogs and cats based on parasitological and molecular analysis

Back ground and aim Toxocariasis is an important zoonotic disease caused by the second-stage larvae of Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati. The purpose of this study was to differentiate the infection caused by .these ascarids in cats and dogs, using stool exam and PCR analysis methods:Material and Methods 37animals kept in the 95household cats and dogs, and Fecal samples collected from animal shelter. Then samples examined for Toxocara spp. By sedimentation and flotation with ZnCl2-solution. In Toxocara positive samples, Toxocara eggs were microscopically measured utilizing 10×. Genomic DNA from the eggs of Toxocara spp. was extracted using MBST kit. In the present study, PCR amplification of the COX1 cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 was used .to identify the eggs of Toxocara spp. The results were confirmed by Sanger sequencing :Results Of the 132 fecal samples that were randomly collected from household dogs, and animals kept in the animal shelter were not found Toxocara spp. eggs. 30 samples of household cats were studied in this study, which reported 3.3 percent of the infections. Eggs of Toxocara spp. in feces of stray cats were detected by the ZnCl2 flotation method, and identification was conducted by polymerase chain reaction PCR and DNA sequencing. Identification of Toxo cara spp. using molecular methods is sufficiently sensitive to detect low levels of parasites and identify the different Toxocara spp. in feces. The results of this study indicate the efficien cy of antiparasitic drugs used in the treatment of domestic cats and dogs. It also shows that .domestic dogs and cats are not considered a risk factor of Toxocriasis for their owners

Keywords:

dogs , cats , Toxocara , cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 , ZnCl2 flotation method